Fish River zoning debate continues with vote set Tuesday

MARLOW -- About 150 people gathered at Marlow United Methodist Church on Thursday to discuss zoning the Fish River community in a vote set for this week.

Residents in District 14 will vote at the Marlow Volunteer Fire Department from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

All the land between Ala. 181 and Baldwin County 55 is included in the district from just above Ala. 104 south to just below U.S. 98.

In the often emotionally charged debate Thursday evening, local residents and other stakeholders made statements for and against zoning and county planning and zoning staff members fielded questions for more than two hours.

"I came here in 1971 and invested money on land here," said Henry McDuffie. "I came because it is beautiful, and the river is clear. Since I came, the river is cleaner now, mostly due to improved sewers. (Zoning advocates) are not going to make it any cleaner. What are we saving it from? Who are we saving it for?"

Planning Director Wayne Dyess answered recurring questions, saying that zoning would not prevent rebuilding or leaving property to heirs. He said flood regulations and building codes already apply countywide, and after recent catastrophic storms, no one in a zoned area had been told they couldn't rebuild. He said regulations required one person to go before the board of adjustments to get a variance on a setback issue.

Casi Callaway, executive director of Mobile Baykeeper, told those gathered that the community was "beautiful and barely touched by development, but it is coming. Developers are already asking what areas are zoned." Mobile Baykeeper is a 3,500-member environmental group set up to preserve and protect the bay's watershed, according to its Web site.

Several people from zoned areas in the county spoke to the crowd, saying the ordinances had been a very good thing, helping to stop sewerage plants, strip malls, used car lots and migrant worker housing in residential neighborhoods.

Some from the community spoke against zoning. William Benjamin said he left another area of the county when zoning led to "good-old-boy" politics and favors. Stan Moseley said he lived in the area for 40 years and was "fed up with government" and could not see how zoning would help.

Jim Sidwell said he has lived in the district for eight years and he was also against government intrusion, but the only way for citizens to preserve communities is zoning.

Fish River Trees owner Steve Mannhard said he researched the issue, and farms like his will be allowed to keep running as they have for years with zoning.

"We won't be losing our property rights," he said. "The government is already involved giving permission for subdivisions. Developers are involved. The only ones who don't have a voice are the regular citizens who live here. Zoning brings the citizens into the process."

Dyess discussed the Horizon 2025 long-range comprehensive plan, which gives suggested uses for land. When districts vote to zone, he said, a diverse committee of citizens works with planning staff to decide how land will be zoned and the Horizon plan is then amended.

Dyess told residents that farming would go on, as well as recreational vehicle neighborhoods and private airstrips with zoning.

Zoning fees include $25 to build a new house, $250 to change from residential to commercial status, and $500 to change from residential to industrial. Once residents vote for zoning, Dyess said, they pay $10 per parcel for two years to pay for administrative costs.

"Don't let people scare you about zoning," Dyess said. "Find out the truth and make your decision. Call and ask people living in zoned areas. About 80 percent of the people in this county live in zoned areas and the average person's life is not ever disturbed by zoning."

Many leaving the meeting said they learned a great deal, but some said they remained opposed. Others said they only wish it could have come sooner.

"I am for zoning," said David Holt, who lives next door to a new discount store at Baldwin 32 and 9. "I have three floodlights glaring in my bedroom window every night. I just wish we had been zoned before the store got here."